A profile of Puerto Ricans in Boston and their impact in the economy of the City.

1. Mayor Martin J. WalshMayor Martin J. Walsh
A Prosperous Boston
for All
Puerto Ricans

2. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
 Puerto Ricans make up 5.3% of Boston’s population (35,346 people).
 Puerto Ricans in Boston earned $516 million in income in 2017.
 Puerto Ricans living in Boston hold 14,052 jobs and own approximately
3,564 businesses.
 Puerto Ricans’ consumer demand supported an additional 1,692 jobs
and contributed $259 million to Boston’s gross city product in 2017.
 Puerto Ricans contributed $26.3 million in state income taxes and $8.5
million in state sales taxes in 2017.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),
Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI), PI+ Massachusetts Regions, BPDA Research Division
2
Puerto Ricans’ contribution to the economy as entrepreneurs
and workers is significant.
Note: Puerto Ricans are defined here as those born in Puerto Rico or who identify as Puerto Rican.

3. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
The 318,500 Puerto Ricans in Massachusetts live primarily in
Springfield, Lawrence, Boston, Lowell, and Worcester.
3

4. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Puerto Ricans live
throughout Boston’s
neighborhoods, with a
high concentration in the
South End.
4

5. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census, 2006-2010 & 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division. December 12, 2017 email from Sonia Gomez-Banrey, BPS
Note: 775 Puerto Rican Boston residents (2017) were born outside of the United States territories (about half in the Dominican Republic), about a third of which were children of U.S. citizens.
They are combined with those born in Puerto Rico in this report.
The Puerto Rican community of Boston grew by 20% from
2000 to 2017.
5
When available, 2018 data may show an uptick in the Puerto Rican population of Boston in the wake of Hurricane Maria. As of December
12th, 2017 the Boston Public Schools had enrolled 154 Puerto Rican children who had moved to Boston in the 12 weeks after the hurricane.

6. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
57% of the Puerto Rican population born in Puerto Rico is
female.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census, 2006-2010 & 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
6

7. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
52% of Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico are older than 45,
while 41% of Puerto Ricans born in the fifty states are children.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
7

8. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Puerto Ricans born in the 50 states speak English very well, while
many born in Puerto Rico are not proficient in English.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
8

9. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
About a third of adult Puerto Ricans work full-time.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
9

10. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Puerto Rican women work primarily in office support or
healthcare support or personal care.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
10
25% of Puerto
Rican Women
18% of Puerto
Rican Women
16% of Puerto
Rican Men
2%
3%
4%
4%
5%
5%
6%
8%
9%
10%
11%
14%
17%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
Business & Financial
Computer Engineering & Science
Natural Resources, Construction, & Maintenance
Healthcare Practitioners & Technical
Legal, Community & Social Service, Arts…
Education, Training, & Library
Management
Building & Grounds, Cleaning & Maintenance
Production & Transportation & Material Moving
Food Preparation & Serving
Sales
Healthcare Support, Personal Care & Service…
Office & Administrative Support
Puerto Rican Workers by Occupation
Puerto Ricans
Bostonians

11. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
Only 14% of Puerto Ricans who work full-time earn more than
$75,000 per year.
11

12. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
Improving Puerto Ricans’ educational attainment will allow
greater contribution to Boston’s economy.
40% of Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico have less than a high school education.
18% of Puerto Ricans born in the U.S. aged 25 or older started college, but have not finished a degree.
12

13. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
Note: Massachusetts data are used due to small sample size in Boston.
Puerto Rican business owners earn slightly more than their
counterparts who are employees.
13
Only 2% of employed Puerto Ricans in Boston are business owners, compared to 6% of all employed Boston residents.

14. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
Note: Massachusetts data are used due to small sample size in Boston.
Puerto Rican businesses are concentrated in childcare and
construction.
14

15. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
Only 15% of Puerto Ricans born in the 50 states and 11% of
Puerto Ricans born in Puerto Rico own their homes.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 ACS Community Survey, PUMS, BPDA Research Division.
15

16. Mayor Martin J. Walsh
“PULL QUOTE TEXT.
LABORITA CUS ETUS
DANDAE DOLUPTATE
EOLUM FACCUPTA
MOLENDE MQUAES.”
Janet Doe
Boston City Councillor
Thank you!
To access a copy of this
presentation, please visit
http://www.bostonplans.org/
research/research-publications.